Static Cling
by mandaree1
Summary: K.O.'s learning to get used to handling T.K.O.'s powers- and his own temper.


**Disclaimer: I don't own OK K.O.! Let's be Heroes!**

 **Title: Static Cling**

 **Summary: K.O.'s learning to get used to handling T.K.O.'s powers- and his own temper.**

 **...**

The Bodega is a hardy place, with hardy workers. When you fight evil robots basically every day, that's how you tend to be.

No, there was no doubt that they could take a hit. Even K.O., young as he was, was no novice to getting up from a bad blow and wiping the dust off. His feet, already thick from years of walking around without shoes, had doubled in hardness, prompted by how many times he'd wrongly stepped on a pointy part in the junkyard, and his knuckles had strengthened considerably.

Usually, K.O. didn't worry about that kind of thing.

But then, as he punched his way through a Jethro, he caught sight of a Darrell exploding out of the corner of his eye. He watched, almost in slow-mo, as the cannon hit the ground and discharged one final time. Rad was bleeding and someone was screaming and K.O. saw purple sparks everywhere.

The next thing he knew, Enid had hooked him up and off the ground, caging him into what amounted to a gentle headlock. A couple chunks of the road had been blown apart in his fury, but he still wasn't satisfied. He wanted nothing more than to walk over to Boxmore and do something to make them pay. _Anything_.

"Hey." Enid's voice was right by his ear. "Chill it, dude. Revenge isn't you."

K.O. went limp. He could smell her flesh, slightly burnt from his newly borrowed powers, but the ninja didn't berate him for his lack of control. Enid flipped him around so he could cling to her back, then went around for Rad.

"I'm okay, little buddy," Rad grunted through the pain, clutching his side. The alien attempted a smile. "It won't even scar."

"Yeah," Enid added with a far more even tone, but K.O. knew she was just faking cool to make him feel better. "Our boy here's just a wimp to pain."

"Hey!"

K.O. shut his eyes. He knew there was only one way to get answers, and that was through the mindspace. He just hated what he had to do to himself to get there.

 _You're useless_ , he thought viciously. That one always did a number on him. _It's no wonder they treat you like a powerless little kid. That's just what you are. You have to get your strength from teamwork and deals. Mommy trained you herself, but you're still only a level one. And now Rad's hurt. Who's to blame for that, huh? That Darrell was long smashed. You saw it coming. You should've done something._

The last thing that crossed K.O.'s noggin, before he slipped into his typical comatose state, was that the one screaming had probably been him.

* * *

T.K.O. hadn't stopped pummeling the punching bag since his other half had willed it into existence. Not even said other's appearance in the confined room made him pause, not until K.O. was shoving him away for a go of his own.

"Hey!" he snarled. "That's mine!"

K.O. didn't listen. He had too much energy to stand back and do nothing. He pounded away at the bag, thankful T.K.O.'s electricity was back where it belonged. K.O. was certain he'd be splitting at the seams with it, spilling out across the room.

Of all the things he expected T.K.O. to do, laugh at him was not among them. The doppelganger crossed his arms, grinning with his fangs. "Aww, what happened? Did someone stub a toe?"

He jerked around and tried to slug him. T.K.O. caught it, watching smugly as he ground his teeth together. "What did you _do_ to me?"

T.K.O. snorted. "I didn't _do_ anything. I've been playing nice ever since I got Punchy over here."

"I feel all weird!" K.O. cried. "Like a live wire!"

"It's called being angry, dummy."

"I've been angry loads of times before!" He poked the alter ego in the chest. "It's never been like this!"

T.K.O. grabbed his hand. The chains that had been forged during their handshake appeared with a little clatter, making his sweatband dig into his skin a little. "Welcome to reality, punk. You think _I've_ got a temper?" He rolled his eyes. "Well, guess what? Got it from you. All of me comes from you- I just made it _better_."

K.O.'s face screwed up. He tried to jerk away, but the chain forced them into close quarters. "Then take it back! I don't wanna be mean and angry like you!"

His face darkened. "There's no take-backsies, remember?"

"What if I let you keep the punching bag and your power? I- I don't need it anymore!"

"Tempting, but it doesn't work like that." T.K.O. shrugged, blowing a raspberry. "I don't make the rules, K.O., and neither do you. We're just stuck followin' 'em."

"But... but..."

"I'm done playing nice." He cocked his fist back with an audible _cha-chunk_ noise. "Don't come back unless you're gonna make another deal."

* * *

K.O. stirred on the employee couch, sore all over. Enid's familiar presence next to him was a comfort, her arm draped across the back.

She gently flicked him on the forehead. "Hey. Who'm I talking to right now? K.O., or pre-rage emo K.O.?"

"It's me," he said. "Where's Rad?"

"Over here, dude." Rad sheepishly waved from the beanbag chair. He was cleaned and wrapped. "How's it hangin', broseph?"

He instantly felt guilty. "Oh, no! Here, Rad, take my spot. You should stretch out."

"S'fine, K.O." He waved it away with his free hand, the other tucked under his hip. "We all know this is the best seat in the break room." Rad risked a smile. "Besides, I think Enid might've gone all 'protect pack' on us. Getting up might spell my doom."

She shrugged. "I'm half-werewolf. It's natural."

K.O. sat up. "Protect pack?"

"He's just using it as an excuse to get cuddles," Enid replied, completely ignoring his request for a definition. "He's too dumb to realize cuddles aren't worth getting hurt again."

The youngest employee tapped his fingers together and pouted. "I wanna cuddle."

Enid held her hand out in a 'go ahead' motion. K.O. slunk over to the beanbag and settled beside it, wary of hurting his injured co-worker further. Rad tried not to look too pleased as he accepted the hug, opening his other arm for Enid to join them. She sighed, then smiled and did so.

K.O. settled in, pressing his face into Rad's work shirt. This would have to be a step-by-step process. He'd just found the staircase. He could handle this.

 **Author's Note: Heeey, have some fluff with T.K.O. in the middle!**

 **-Mandaree1**


End file.
